Private Frank George Amos was born in a small 4-roomed cottage, 8 Rose Green Terrace, Eastville, on 27th October 1890. He was Albert and Emily Amos’ first child, and they were living with her parents. Frank’s father was an undertaker, and by a curious coincidence, childhood friends of mine lived in the same house in the 1950s & 60s, and their father was also an undertaker...

By 1894 the family had moved to The Crown Inn at Hambrook, where Frank’s father was the landlord. Frank started at Hambrook School in September 1894, and left in July 1903 to go to secondary school. All his classmates left to start work, so was he very clever? Probably not, as both his siblings also went to secondary school. I suspect his father was in a position to pay for this privilege.

The 1911 census shows Frank’s living with his parents and siblings in The Crown Inn. He’s 21 and working as a “railway porter”, and his younger brother, Frederick, (who went to a secondary boarding school) is an apprentice plumber. In 1914, when he was 23 years old, Frank joined the National Union of Railwaymen, Stoke Gifford Branch and his occupation is number taker.

When he joined the army is unclear, but at the time of his death he was Private No. 204205, 7th Reserve Battalion the Worcestershire Regiment, attached to 526th Company of the Labour Corps.

His father Albert died in June 1915 and was buried in Frenchay churchyard, so it seems likely the family worshipped in Frenchay church. When Frank died on 17th December 1918, aged 29 years, he was buried in the same grave as his father. It is now an official Commonwealth War Grave.

The Frenchay grave headstone also commemorates Frank’s younger brother Frederick Graham Amos, who was killed in France in May 1917, aged 22. He is buried in the Faubourg D'amiens Cemetery, Arras, France.

Despite being buried in Frenchay, Frank is commemorated on the War memorial at All Saints Church Winterbourne Down and on the Winterbourne Down panel of the Whiteshill War Memorial.

Frenchay Museum has recently acquired a scrap book containing memorabilia about Lieutenant Wilcox, a First World War soldier whose parents lived at Hambrook Court. There is a lot of research to do to unravel his story but we have transcribed one of the postcards he sent home from a German prisoner of war camp. The scrap book is part of the exhibition to mark the centenary of the end of World War 1.

Christmas Day 1917My dear T,Well here we are on what is supposed to be the happiest day of the year but can’t say that we are having a very cheery time. For one thing we have not yet had our parcels sent on from the other camp so we are not very well off for food or tobacco. However, it might be much worse because this is quite a comfortable camp. Have not heard yet when we are going to Switzerland but we all hope very soon.

I am sorry this is the first time I’ve written to you since I was taken prisoner but you know that there are a lot of dear girls I must write to. Thanks awfully for writing so regularly – I received yours of Oct 28th two days ago. I have not had any Xmas letters yet but probably they will arrive in a few days. If there is anything amongst my kit at home which will be of use to you be sure and take it. I should love to be able to see you before you go out but no luck, I am afraid, but anyhow dear T I wish you best of luck in your exams and when you go out to the front.

Today there is about an inch of snow on the ground but this place is not very cold. On Sat I went for a topping walk in the hills near here. They are very pretty & one gets a great view from them. Well cheerio & good luck to all at home.Yrs, Noel

During the war, the injured were sometimes taken from prisoner of war camps to Red Cross camps in Switzerland which was neutral. But were prisoners allowed to go for ‘topping walks’?

November 2018

8th November at 7.30pmQuaker Meeting House

A screening of the 1921 Hollywood film about WWI. It stars Rudolf Valentino and has a cameo role for Frenchay’s own Hollywood actor, Francis Packer - stage name Nigel de Brulier (centre on the poster).All Welcome – admission £2.

Visiting Exhibition RoomMinistering AngelsFrenchay Nurses in World War One.

The museum opens for the last time this year on 28th November.

October 2018

Our season of local history talks begins on 11th October at 7.30pm in the Quaker Meeting House with 'Frys’ Many Businesses'.It wasn’t just chocolate! Alan Freke tells the story of a very entrepreneurial family, who over two centuries were pioneers in many fields. Frenchay Frys were especially inventive, and founded a number of present day businesses. All Welcome – admission £2.

Visiting Exhibition RoomIn October there is a display of artefacts found in Tuckett’s Field by metal detectorist David Upton. Also some pictures not usually on display.

Another WWI CasualtyWilfred Frank Leonard Fishlock was born on 29th September 1900 in Bishopston, the son of Frank and Mary Fishlock. In both the 1901 and 1911 censuses the family were living in Bishopston, but when Wilfred joined the Navy in 1917 his military record shows that his parents were then living at 4 White Hill (sic), Hambrook. At the time of his death, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission lists his next of kin as is his mother, Mary Fishlock, of Frenchay Lodge.

Wilfred died in Croydon General Hospital on 16th October 1918, he was 18 years old. His body was brought to Frenchay, and he has an official Commonwealth War Grave in Frenchay churchyard. Like 3 other local men who died serving in the forces, he is not remembered on any local memorial, even though he has an official Commonwealth War Grave. hy this should be is a mystery we’re unlikely to solve.

In November we shall have an exhibition to remember the Centenary since the end of World War 1. This will show the role of nurses during the war. We have a large collection of photographs and memorabilia from The Cleve Hospital in Downend.

Help WantedAre you up for a challenge? The museum has been given a very old typewriter, pre QWERTY. It seems to have seized up and could do with some TLC to get it working again. Could you help us? If you are interested please ring 0117/9569963. It is a fascinating object and we would love to have it available for visitors to use.

September 2018

Visiting Exhibition RoomCurrently there is a display of artefacts found in Frenchay by a metal detectorist. There are also some paintings not normally on display.The Museum is open Sat. & Sun. 2-5pm, and Wed. 1-4pm. Entry is free

ThanksThe De Luxe Toilet Unit at our Vintage Vehicle Day in July was kindly provided by Verde Recreo Ltd, a building company based at Wick in Bristol, and working nearby on projects for UWE and others. We acknowledge the kind assistance of Mr Jonathan Bland, Business Manager, who organised everything for us.

Ellen Georgiana TannerEllen Tanner was a daughter of William Tanner of Frenchay Park. She was born in Frenchay in 1847, and lived at home until her father died in 1887. She inherited £18,000 from him, and soon went to the Middle East, where travelling alone, she became an avid collector of local objects. In 1913 she was one of the first women to be elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

She travelled widely from Egypt to Uzbekistan, and amassed a large collection, most of which she donated to Bristol Museum. However, she lived in Bath at the end of her life, so she gave items to the Holburne Museum there.

The Holburne Museum has just mounted a display of their items. The exhibition, “Bath to Baghdad”, runs until 21st October. Admission is free. They have also arranged a series of talks about Ellen and her travels, details of which can be found on their website: www.holburne.org.

The intriguing object on the left is a tear collector from a Persian harem.

August 2018

From July 17th the exhibition in the museum will be celebrating the175th Anniversary of Frenchay Primary School. Work by the pupils will be on show.

New Book Available

Francis George Packer (or should it be George Francis Packer?) was born in the South Lodge of Frenchay Park in August 1877. When he was baptised in the church in September, the order of his forenames was reversed, but in his lifetime he was to adopt other names.

He left Frenchay National School when he was eleven to work as a hall boy in Frenchay Park House, but by the time he was twenty he had emigrated to America. There he worked as a singer for a number of years, before landing his first Hollywood role in 1914, having changed his name to Nigel de Brulier.

A new book published by the museum tells of his eventful life, from a working class boy in Frenchay, to a Hollywood actor appearing in 120 films before his death in 1948. Some of these films were greats of the silent era, “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse”, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”, “The Three Musketeers”, “Salome”, “The Iron Mask”, and many more.

When he travelled to Italy for the filming of “Ben Hur” in 1924, he took the opportunity to visit his widowed mother and sister, who were living in Westbourne Terrace.

The new book, “Frankie went to Hollywood”, is now available in the museum for £3.50.

At Westbourne Terrace in 1924. Francis with his mother, sister, Miniie, and her sons

As Cardinal Richelieu with Douglas Fairbanks in “The Three Musketeers” of 1921.

July 2018

The pupils of Frenchay School have mounted an exhibition markingthe 175th anniversary of the school moving to the present buildings.

Francis Albert Cox was born on 10th July 1899. He was the 3rd son of quarryman Charles Henry Cox and his wife Sarah. They lived in Quarry Barton, Pye Corner, and Francis was baptised in Winterbourne Down Church on 8th May 1900. Hambrook School records show that he started there on 25th March 1902, and left on 1st August 1912 to start work in a Market Garden.

His name first appears in the Frenchay Parish Magazine in August 1918:- “The following names have to be added to the Parochial Roll of Honour ... Cox, Francis A., 14th Warwicks. France. (Killed July, 1918).“

Surprisingly, the magazine didn’t report when he enlisted in Bristol in 1917. The only other time he’s mentioned in the magazine is in a report in October 1920 of the unveiling of the Church War Memorial, as his name is recorded on it. His name also appears on the Whiteshill Common War Memorial.

When he enlisted in 1917 he was assigned to the 14th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment and was killed in France on the 8th July 1918, just 2 days short of his 19th birthday. Liz Ferguson of Hambrook has visited many of the WWI graves of those named on the Whiteshill War Memorial and she also accessed the 14th Warwicks Regimental Diary, which records the day he died:Nieppe Forest 8th July 1918.2nd Lieut CVF Manning reports for duty. 14 ordinary ranks killed and 16 ordinary ranks wounded by aerial bomb which fell on bivouacs in the transport line soon after midnight. 1 ordinary rank killed and 2 ordinary ranks wounded in the line...

Francis was one of those “ordinary ranks”. He was buried in Merville Communal Cemetery, which is about 20 miles South West of Ypres. This photograph of his grave was taken by Liz Ferguson, who also placed the cross and poppy.

June 2018

DREAM HOMES: AN ARCHIVE OF MEMORIESArt Installation by Lizzie Philps continues in June,but later in the month it will be replaced by a display by pupils from Frenchay School, marking the school’s 175th anniversary.

Museum is open Sat. & Sun. 2-5pm, and Wed. 1-4pm. Entry is free-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

Who was Mrs. Budgett?

Mrs. W. E. Budgett makes a cameo appearance in our book “Frenchay - Village at War 1914-18”, which was distributed free to every household in Frenchay in 2014. The book tells how she unveiled the war memorial on the church in October 1920. But who was she?

She was born Georgiana Essie Burges in 1867 in Winterbourne Rectory, the daughter of Revd. Frank Burges, who was rector between 1863 and 1875. In 1888 she married William Edward Budgett, who was part of his family’s very successful wholesale grocery business. The 1891 census shows them living at Stoke Lodge, Stoke Bishop, with a 2 year-old daughter and 5 servants.

In 1914 Georgiana was the founder and secretary of the Bristol Branch of the Red Cross. In 1916 she received a postcard from Private Passmore, a Bristolian who had been in a German POW camp since late 1914. He wrote of the dire conditions there, and Mrs. Budgett decided to send him a parcel of warm clothes and organised bread to be sent to him from Berne.

From this small beginning, the Bristol branch of the Red Cross pioneered the Red Cross parcel service that was to become so important for many spending bleak years in POW camps in both World Wars.

In June 1918 she was awarded the OBE for her Red Cross work. In 1919 returned POWs held a grand event in the Drill Hall, at which Lieut. J. A. James VC proposed the toast, “Three cheers for our good fairy, Mrs. Budgett!”

In 1920 her cousin Revd. Cyril Travers Burges was the rector of Frenchay, and it seems probable that he had invited her to unveil the church war memorial as she was so well known for her wartime work. She died in 1944.

May 2018

Lizzie is a live artist who uses walking to inspire her work. Lizzie's work recognises the everyday rather than the epic, and this exhibition documents small changes in the grounds of the former Frenchay Hospital over the course of four years' worth of walks with her school-age daughter.

Lizzie wants to draw attention to the in-between time - after the hospital and before the houses are completed - which won't be marked in history or maps, but which has been the backdrop to so many local lives.

We have just produced a new booklet “The Amazing Life of the Revd. Hugh Cowell Kinred”.

Kinred came to Frenchay in 1914 after missionary work in the Far East, but left Frenchay in 1915 to join the army as a front line soldier. In 1916 he saved the lives of seven of his comrades, by throwing himself on a bomb that landed in their trench. His bravery resulted in the award of the Military Cross.

There was world-wide newspaper interest in him, and on 22nd August 1916 the Daily Mirror ran a front page story about his brave action. The Daily Mirror contacted us in 2015, as they were running the story again, and the research we did for them forms the basis of this booklet.

He was no ordinary clergyman. His background was not what he claimed, and he led a life of more than usual interest. Being banned from preaching by the Archbishop of Canterbury was just one feature of his unconventional life. The booklet is available in the museum priced £1.50.

Annual General Meeting 10th MayAGM at 7.30pm in Frenchay Quaker Meeting Housefollowed at 8pm by Frenchay on FilmWe plan to screen a series of short films that were made in Frenchay

Walter William Gibbs was the only son of John Gibbs of the Wool Factory House. He had previously lived in The Stream Farm. John was Assistant Overseer of the Poor, Registrar of Births and Deaths, and was the first Clerk of Winterbourne Parish Council when it was formed in 1895. He was involved in the British School (held in Whiteshill Chapel) from its foundation, as secretary of the management committee. John married Ellen Rachael Edwards in 1887, and their only child Walter William Gibbs was born in 1888. The 1911 census shows the family had a live-in servant.

Walter doesn’t appear to have attended any local schools, but subsequent events show that he probably went to a private school with an Officer Training Corps. His career path is very puzzling. In the 1911 census he’s a 23 year-old “bank clerk”, but a year later he’s a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. He spent 1912-14 as a member of the Bolivian Boundary Commission, then 1914-17 surveying for the Mozambique Company in East Africa.

In August 1917 he returned from Africa, and joined the army, being almost immediately gazetted as Second Lieut. in the Royal Engineers. He married Dorothy Morton from Nailsea shortly before going to France, where he was attached to a Survey Section working on the front line mapping enemy positions.

He was killed on 22nd April 1918, along with Sapper Patrick Killian. They were buried next to each other in La Targette British Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast, Pas de Calais. His headstone reads, “Peace And Honour Rest You Here”. Walter is commemorated on the War Memorial on Frenchay Church, and the Civil Parish War Memorial on Whiteshill Common. He’s also named on his parents’ grave in Frenchay churchyard.

March 2018

8th March at 7.30pm in the Quaker Meeting House, Beckspool Road.The Later Avon Valley Copper and Brass IndustryRichard Ross talks about the later developments. All Welcomeadmission £2

Herbert George Clifford was born in 1892 in Hawkesbury Upton, a son of Edward and Louisa Clifford. The 1901 census shows they were living in The Stream, Hambrook. However, curiously there’s no surviving record of Herbert in any of the local schools.

The 1911 census shows they were living in The Mill, Pearces Hill and Herbert is now a market gardener. He may have moved to the Forest of Dean by 1914, as his military record shows he enlisted in Coleford, and he doesn’t feature in the parish magazines as a parishioner who has joined up (although two of his brothers do).

However, in September 1917 he is named in the parish magazine, where it states he’s in the Royal Field Artillery, and had been gassed the previous month. After recovering he returned to the Somme, joining "D" Battery 105th Brigade of the RFA.

He was killed on 21st March 1918 and his body was never identified.

On the same day, just a few miles away, Alfred Ernest Flux was also killed. Alfred was the son of Alfred and Emily Flux of Walton Farm, Hambrook. Like his brothers, when he left school he worked on the family farm, but by October 1915 he was serving as a bombardier in the RFA.

He was on the Somme in 1916, and in June 1916 he wrote a letter home to his mother, which is reproduced in our book “Frenchay - a Village at War”, a copy of which was distributed to every house in Frenchay in 2014.

He was promoted to corporal, but in June 1918 the parish magazine reported that he was missing. The following month the magazine reported that he had been killed at St. Quentin on 21st March. His body was never identified.

A few years ago the Channel 4 programme, Time Team, discovered graffiti in a tunnel near Bouzincourt, a village on the Somme, which read, “Bdr A. Flux, Hambrook, Bristol Glos. RFA 30/11/16”. They contacted us about filming his home, but Walton Farm has been demolished, it stood roughly where the Hambrook traffic lights are now.

Both Alfred and Herbert’s names are inscribed on the Pozieres Memorial on the Somme. Also, together with Albert Hughes, who died exactly one week later, and whose story we told last month, they are both remembered on the War Memorial on Frenchay Church and the Civil Parish War Memorial on Whiteshill Common.

Three men killed in March 1918 made it the worst month of the war for Frenchay.

February 2018

Annual Talks Series8th February at 7.30pm in the Quaker Meeting House, Beckspool Road.

A History of FrenchayRoger Angerson tells the story of our community

The Sawyer Memorial LectureAll Welcome – admission £2.

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-In the Museum - Somerdale: Then and Now

An exhibition about the former Fry’s chocolate factory at Somerdale. Cecil Fry of The Grove, Frenchay, laid the foundation stone there in 1932.

If you visit on 25th Feb you can meet some former employees, and there may be a sweet surprise!

There were no Frenchay losses in February 1918, but three in March. Due to space limitations, we’re remembering one of the March casualties this month.

Albert Fletcher Hughes was born on 25th August 1889 in St. Werburghs. The 1901 census shows he’s living in Rose Cottage (now The Anchorage) on Pearces Hill, with his parents and siblings. His father, Thomas Sidney Hughes worked in the Iron Works as a file cutter.

Albert started at Frenchay School in 1896, probably when they came to live in Frenchay and he left in 1903. The 1911 census shows they are still living in Frenchay and Albert is now a factory hand, possibly at the Iron Works.

In the February 1916 Parish Magazine, he’s on a list of men accepted for the army, then again in October 1917 he appears on a list of those “connected with Frenchay who have served during the war: Hughes, Albert Fletcher, Rifleman, London Regiment, France. Wounded 1917”.

He was killed on 28th March 1918. His body was never identified, but he is commemorated on the Arras War Memorial.

Curiously there was no report of his death in the Parish Magazine, until his name appears in a report of the unveiling of the Church War Memorial in the Nov/Dec 1920 issue. He’s also remembered on the civic War memorial at Whiteshill.

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+--+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+--+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-New Visiting ExhibitionSomerdale Then and Now

A number of ex-Somerdale employees are mounting an exhibition to record the dramatic changes at the former Fry’s chocolate factory at Somerdale.

Cecil Fry of the Grove, Frenchay, laid the foundation stone of the office block there in 1932. And in 2106 his grandson used the same ceremonial mason’s tools to lay the foundation stone of the new St. Monica’s retirement home being created in the chocolate factories that had ceased production in 2011.

The exhibition runs until Easter, but on Sun. 28th January there’s a chance to meet some former Fry’s staff who will have a sweet surprise for you...

December 2017

Annual December Shut Down

Please note that the museum’s last opening this year is on 30th Nov. During the shutdown we do a deep clean and re-order the displays. If you would like to help with any aspect of this, please call Margaret Bulmer on 9569324 or Alan Freke on 9570942.

If you want anything from the museum, e.g. books, or looking up records, just call Alan Freke. We reopen with new displays at 2pm on Sat. 6th January.

Month by month, on the centenary of their death, we have been telling you a little about men from Frenchay who died in WWI,and who have official Commonwealth War Graves.

So far ten men have been remembered this way and there are no further deaths until March. Sadly, eight more men were to die in the last year of the war and these will be remembered during the coming year.

Last month we remembered the death on 10th Nov. 1917 of Private Alec Bullock of the London Artists’ Rifles, who died of wounds received in France. He is buried in Frenchay churchyard, but is not on the church or parish war memorials, nor the Downend or Staple Hill war memorials. But we have just been told that he’s on the J.S. Fry & Sons war memorial, in the grounds of Somerdale, Keynsham.

November 2017

Annual Talks Series

Local Archaeological Finds

Kurt Adams from Bristol Museum tells us about the latest local finds recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme.9th November at 7.30pm in the Quaker Meeting House, Beckspool Road. All are welcome, admission is £2.

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Frenchay School 175 Exhibition

Until the end of November we have an exhibition to mark Frenchay School’s 175th anniversary.Frenchay Village Museum is open Sat. & Sun. 2-5pm, and Wed. 1-4pm. Entry is free.

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More WWI Casualties

On 6th November 1917, Corporal Albert William Jones of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers was killed in action in Palestine.

He was born in Wraxall in 1889, the son of Francis Walker Jones and Mary Jones. The 1901 census shows his father was a gardener, and they lived in Frenchay. He started at Frenchay School in 1895, and left in 1903.

He joined up in Oct 1915, and in February 1916 he is on the Roll of Honour of parishioners serving in the army. He was wounded in France, recovered in the UK, then went to Egypt, before going on to Palestine, where he was killed. He was buried in Beersheba War cemetery.

It seems likely that the family lived at 8 Westbourne Terrace. Albert Jones is recorded on the Frenchay war memorial, as well as the Whiteshill Common war memorial.

On 10th November 1917 Private Alec Stuart Bullock of the London Artists’ Rifles, died at Stepping Hill Military Hospital, Stockport, of wounds received in France. He was 19 years old. He was buried in Frenchay churchyard a week later.

The Bullock family lived in Rosslyn, Staple Hill, but the family worshiped in Frenchay Church, and Alec’s mother had already been buried in the churchyard in 1915. She was the daughter of John Welchman, the coachman of Cliff Court, Frenchay.

Alec was buried in his mother’s grave, and it’s been designated an official Commonwealth War Grave. He is not recorded on the church or parish war memorials, neither is he on the Downend and Staple Hill war memorial.

October 2017

Annual Talks Series

Our season of local history talks gets underway on 12th October at 7.30pm in the Quaker Meeting House, Beckspool Road. The first talk is, Behind the Scenes at the Antiques Roadshow. Clifford White shares his memories of working on the iconic BBC programme. All are welcome, admission is £2.

New Book - The Tuckett Family of Frenchay

We have just published a new book about the Tuckett Family. It covers their origins, their 130-year presence in the village, and their legacy, which includes the Village Hall, Tuckett’s Field, and the museum. Also their wider impact in New Zealand, Australia, and Europe.

Copies of the 116 page book, which is fully illustrated, are available in the museum price £5.

New Exhibition

During October and November we are mounting an exhibition to mark Frenchay School’s 175th anniversary. The school opened in 1842, and is still housed in the original building.

Frenchay Village Museum is open Sat. & Sun. 2-5pm, and Wed. 1-4pm. Entry is free.

September 2017

In Memoriam - Albert Baker and Arthur Young

You cannot have failed to notice the televised events to mark the centenary of the start of the Battle of Passchendaele on 31st July 1917. The first Frenchay casualties of that battle were not long coming.

The October 1917 Parish Magazine recorded:

We regret to learn that Bertie Baker and Arthur Young have both fallen in action.

Bertie Baker joined up at the outbreak of war. He was wounded on September 11th by a gas shell and died in hospital on September 17th. His officer writes, "Since last January your son acted as servant to me so I knew him very well and I had become extremely fond of him. You will be glad to know he was a great favourite in the Battery and always did his work most conscientiously."

Arthur Young enlisted in 1914, and was invalided home later. He returned to the front four months ago and was killed in action last month. We offer our sincere sympathy to their relatives.

Who was Bertie Baker? Army records show he was Gunner Albert John Baker, of the Royal Field Artillery, the son of William John Baker, of Rosedale, Badminton Roa., Downend. He was killed 17th Sept 1917 and buried in Dozinghem Military Cemetery, near Popperinge. His headstone has the personal single word inscription “Waiting”. It has not been possible to find any link between Bertie and Frenchay, but the fact that the Rector used the familiar name “Bertie” seems to show he was well known here. He’s not on either of the Frenchay War Memorials, but he is on the War Memorial in Page Park.

Private Arthur Young was with the 8th Battalion Glosters. He died on 21st September 1917, and was buried in Bedford House Cemetery, near Passchendaele. Army records show that he was identified by an envelope in his pocket and a damaged identity disc. There is no personal inscription on his headstone, but he is recorded on both Frenchay War Memorials. However, like Bertie Baker, he has no obvious Frenchay connection. Born in 1888 to Henry and Clara Young, in all censuses up to 1911 he’s living with them in Failand, latterly working as a labourer on a golf course. As with Bertie Baker, all attempts to find mention of him in school records, the cricket club, church registers, etc., have drawn a blank. He’s first mentioned in the church magazine on the Roll of Honour in February 1916, at the same time as Bertie Baker.

So why is one honoured on the Frenchay War Memorial, and the other not? It seems unlikely we will ever know 100 years after the event.

August 2017

Arthur George Criddle

Arthur George Criddle was born in Frenchay in 1894, and grew up in a cottage near the bottom of Frenchay Hill. He attended Frenchay School, then began work in the Flock Mill. He joined the Army on 9th Sept. 1914, and was attached to the Royal Horse Artillery. The parish magazine lists him on the “Frenchay Roll of Honour” – parishioners serving in the war.

In November 1915 the Parish magazine reports that he was in hospital, but gave no reason. In September 1916 the magazine reported that he’s been discharged. We know from a surviving document that he was given an army pension, which seems to show that his medical problems were the result of his army service. He died at home in Frenchay on 29th August 1917.

The Parish Magazine recorded:

"Roll of Honour. It is with sincere regret that we record the death of Arthur George Criddle, who joined the Royal Field Artillery shortly after the outbreak of the war, and who received his discharge, owing to ill-health, after about nine months service. He died, after a long illness ... on August 30th, and his funeral, at which a very large number of parishioners were present, took place on September 2nd. He was for many years a member of our Church Choir. One of his brothers, William Ewert Criddle, of the 7th Gloucester Regiment, was killed in action in Mesopotamia in February."

It seems the army considered his death to be the result of his army service, as an official War Grave headstone was placed on his grave.

But there are a number of mysteries. His headstone gives his date of death as 28th August, the death certificate 29th, and the parish magazine the 30th! Also, he’s not named on the church war memorial, but he is on the civil war memorial on Whiteshill Common. However, his name was added after the others had been carved. An order of service for the dedication showsthat it was done before the dedication on 1st January 1922.

It’s unlikely we shall ever solve the mysteries surrounding his death, and the way his memory has been commemorated.

July 2017

David Fry and Frenchay Products Ltd

Our new display in July, features the first prototype Moulton bicycle, which has been loaned to us by Moulton Bicycles. It was made in early 1959 for Alex Moulton by David Fry, using the facilities of his company Frenchay Products Ltd.

Vintage Vehicle Day, Sat. 15th July 2 - 5pm

Join us for our annual wallow in nostalgia, when elderly cars, motorcycles and bicycles gather in the museum car park for free viewing.

On display this year we will have David Fry’s record-breaking car, the Freikaiserwagen, which has been restored recently by its present owner. The car set records in the 1930s and 1940s, and is already winning events again.

We also hope to have a selection of Moulton bicycles, marking the fact that the very first one was made by Frenchay Products.

June 2017

David Fry 1918 - 1967

50 years ago this month, David Fry died of a heart attack at the early age of 49. He was born in Frenchay in 1918, the elder son of Cecil and Olave Fry, of Grove House (sometimes known as Frenchay Grove, and today Riverwood House).

His father was the last Fry to be chairman of J S Fry & Sons, and David was the last member of the family to be associated with Fry’s. He was a non-executive director of the British Cocoa and Chocolate Company, Fry’s parent company.

David graduated in engineering from Cambridge, just in time to serve in the RAF during WWII. He was eventually a Squadron Leader, flying Catalina flying boats. After the war he joined Horstman Engineering in Bath for a while, before setting up Frenchay Products in the stables of Grove House in 1949. The firm was in the aircraft business, doing sub-contract work for BAC, De-Havilland, and others.

During lulls in aircraft activity, Frenchay Products turned to other engineering tasks, including manufacturing of innovative bicycles for his friend Alex Moulton, and they also made jukeboxes in the UK for a Swiss company. When the Swiss plant was burnt down, they were the sole supplier of the Chantal Meteor 200.

In 1951 the company acquired a small Kingswood based motorised valve manufacturer called Rotork, and David’s younger brother Jeremy joined the firm. In 1953 the firm moved to a purpose built plant in Kingswood, which was their home for the next 15 years. But they also had a satellite factory by the Feeder.

David was prominent in motor sport, and his car, the Freikaiserwagen, set many records, and was twice featured on the cover of Motor Sport magazine. A book about the car was published in 2008.

Following David’s death in 1967, Frenchay Products was taken over by Fairey Aviation, and so ceased to exist as a company. But ten years earlier his brother Jeremy had left Frenchay Products, and had taken the Rotork valve manufacturing activity with him to his home in Bath. Today Rotork has a £600m annual turnover, with factories around the world. Starting in July, the museum will have a new display about David and Frenchay Products.

May 2017

In Memoriam, Harry Wadlow

Harry Wadlow was the son of the headmaster of Frenchay School. The Parish Magazine in October 1914 reported that he had joined the Army Service Corps, and the following October he’s a appointed a lieutenant. In September 2016 the magazine reported that he had transferred to the Royal Flying Corps., and in December that he was made Captain.

He then began a course of flying instruction. Harry’s unit, No.10 Reserve Squadron, a Training Squadron, was based at Joyce Green Airfield on the Dartford Salt Marshes in Kent. Harry was taught to fly in a de Havilland DH2 - a single engine pusher scout.

The June 1917 Parish Magazine carried the following report,"On May 1st Captain Harry Wadlow, R.F.C., was accidentally killed while flying near Dartford, Kent. Captain Wadlow, who had a brilliant academic career at Bristol Grammar School, besides gaining the school colours in cricket, football and hockey, joined the A.S.C. as Second-Lieutenant in 1914.

He served in the Dardanelles, whence he was invalided home in 1915 and in France in 1916, in which year he was promoted Captain. He joined the R.F.C. in the same year. He was buried with full military honours in our Churchyard on May 7th in the presence of many friends and neighbours."

The school was closed on the 7th of May so that the children could attend Harry’s funeral at St John Baptist Church. The inscription on his grave is, ‘Harry Wadlow, Captain, RFC, born 26th February 1895, died 1st May 1917. Per Ardua Ad Astra.’

Harry was an only child, whose mother had died in 1901. Our book “H. J. Wadlow Headmaster of Frenchay National School 1894-1921” is available in the museum, and it has much more information.

Harry’s photograph from the Daily Mirror 10th May 1917

Annual General Meeting11th May at 7.30pm in Frenchay Quaker Meeting House, followed at 8pm by The Frenchay Highwayman, and Frenchay Museum and the Wider World.

April 2017

New Visiting Display - The Dings Crusaders Rugby Club

Welcome to our new neighbours - “The Dings Crusaders” was founded 120 years ago, and they will be playing in their new Frenchay ground from next season. Open Sat., & Sun. 2-5pm, & Wed. 1-4pm. Free Entry.

Our First Hospital

Dr. Edward Crossman of Whiteshill House, opened Hambrook Hospital 150 years ago this year. The hospital was in a large house near the White Horse pub, and the founding document states that it “is designed for the accommodation of poor persons suffering from accidents or diseases which cannot be adequately treated at the homes of the patients”. There were no less than 7 doctors on the staff, though only 1 nurse! She was the only salaried person, and she had to live in. Patients had to pay a weekly fee, but sponsors were sought to support those unable to pay. A committee of local worthies, headed by three trustees, oversaw everything.With the creation of the NHS in 1948, Hambrook Hospital was combined with Frenchay Hospital. In 1951 the decision was taken to close Hambrook Hospital, and in 1952 it became a hostel for student nurses. Student nurses were already housed in Frenchay House and Frenchay Lodge, but Hambrook was for male students – they were keeping them far apart!

Reopening by the Duchess of Beaufort in 1905 after a major extension

March 2017

Frenchay's Famous Highwayman

Exactly 250 years ago, newspapers throughout the country were carrying news of the arrest of the notorious highwayman Edward Higgins, who lived in Frenchay. Judging by the national coverage of his miss-deeds, Higgins was as well known as Dick Turpin, who’d been active twenty years earlier.

Newspapers as far away as Aberdeen ran the story. The Leeds Intelligencer of 3rd March 1767 says that he had been arrested in Bristol, and was being held in Gloucester Castle, which was used as a gaol.

It says that he was born in Worcestershire, but lived for many years in Knutsford, Cheshire, with his wife and five children. His former house there has a plaque, which says, “Edward Higgins. Notorious Mid 18th Century Highwayman, portrayed by De Quincey and Others, Lived Here”. But by the time of his arrest, he was living in The Grove, at the bottom of Frenchay Hill.

Elliott in his book “Winterbourne, Gloucestershire” says that he came to Frenchay in 1765, and fitted large bolts to the doors to withstand a siege. (Are they still there?) He adopted the name “Hickson” and lived in a splendid manner, keeping hunters, and he was popular in Clifton Society.Later in the year see what fate awaited him...

An Illustrated Talk

The Golden Age of Alpinism and British Victorian Climbers Hywel Lloyd of the Alpine Club tells of mountaineers in the Alps from the 1850s to 1900, including Frank Tuckett of Frenchay. This talk complements the Alpine Club’s Visiting Exhibition.The Quaker Meeting House, Beckspool Road.

February 2017

In Memoriam - William Ewart Criddle

William Ewart Criddle was baptised in Frenchay church on 4th June 1892. He was part of a large Frenchay family. He had 12 siblings, many of whom died young. In 1902 his mother gave birth to triplets, one died at birth, and the others were baptised at home. However Edward died aged 12 hours, and Albert aged 5 days. They were buried a few days apart in the churchyard. William left Frenchay School in 1906, and became a butcher’s assistant.

He married Edith Moon in 1915, and joined the Army in January 1916. The following month their son Roy was born. The Parish Magazine of September 1916 reported that he had “gone to the Front”, and the following month that he had “gone to India”. In April 1917 the magazine reported,

“It is with deep regret that we record the death of Private William Criddle, Gloucestershire Regiment, who fell in action in Mesopotamia on February 10. He was a well-known football player in the Frenchay A.F.C., in the Bristol and District Association League ... We sympathise very sincerely with the relatives of these soldiers who have fallen in their country's service.”

William was part of the 7th (Service) Battalion Glo’ster Regiment fighting the Turkish Ottoman Empire, which supported Germany. When he was “killed in action” in Mesopotamia (now Iraq) on the 10th February 1917, he was buried in Amara War Cemetery, about 100 miles north of Basra. There is no headstone on his grave, as by 1935 the acid soil in that area destroyed them, but his name is inscribed on the wall surrounding the cemetery, as well as the Church War Memorial, and the one on Whiteshill Common.

Annual Talks Series - Out and about in Bristol 1914 – 1918

John Penny tells of day-to-day life in Bristol during the Great War.The Quaker Meeting House, Beckspool Road, Thursday February 9th at 7.30pm. Admission is £2.

January 2017

When we reopen on 7th January after our winter spring clean, the visiting exhibition will be by the Alpine Club, the world’s oldest and most prestigious mountaineering society.

Founded in 1857, they organised the first successful Everest expedition in 1953. Frank Tuckett of Frenchay was an early member, and he was Vice-president from 1866-68.

To find out more about the museum and to search our archives go to our website frenchaymuseumarchives.co.uk.Open Sat., & Sun. 2-5pm, & Wed. 1-4pm. Free Entry.

Annual Talks Series - The Local Brass Industry

Tony Coverdale tells of the pioneering industrialists who led the world in brass production in our area. At Kingswood the world’s first integrated factory allowed raw ores to enter at one end, and finished goods leave at the other.

December 2016

December Close

During December the museum is closed for a deep clean and to change some of the displays. If you would like to help we are not known for turning help away, so call us on 9569324 or 9570942 to find out more.

We have a wealth of local books, and reproductions of watercolours of Alpine views by Marion Fox, which would make ideal Christmas presents. So if during the closed period you want to have a browse, or want to see something in the museum for any other reason, please call 9570942.

Until 30th Nov. open Wed 1-4pm and Sat & Sun 2-5pm. Entry is free. The museum reopens on January 7th.

To find out more about the museum and to search our archives go to our website frenchaymuseumarchives.co.uk.

Frenchay Flock Mill

Most of you will be familiar with the five houses at the bottom of Frenchay Hill known as Frenchay Flock Mill. The old mill buildings were demolished about fifteen years ago to build the present houses, but the Flock Mill had been used for light industrial purposes for some years before that.

Until 1910 this had been Frenchay Iron Works founded in 1761. There was another iron works by Cleeve Road bridge, but the two amalgamated in 1810, the one on Frenchay Hill then being known as the Lower Iron Works. By the latter part of the 19th Century it mainly produced tools and was owned by Thomas Moore. A postcard from the early 20th Century shows the sign on the building reads, “T. Moore Frenchay Edge Tool and File Works”.

We knew of no examples of the work’s output, although it’s probable they made the original iron kissing-gates around Tuckett’s Field. However, we’ve just acquired an “edge tool” that was almost certainly made there. It’s a large axehead that’s almost 12 inches deep. It was made from a single sheet of steel, that was bent double around a former to create a channel for the wooden handle, then the two halves coming together to form the blade were hammer-welded together, and an edge ground for cutting. The blade is stamped with a trademark, and the word “FRENCHAY” in block capitals. It will be on display when we re-open in January.

October 2016

Another Death on the Somme

Private Norman Rowley Spafford of the 12th Glos. Regiment, was wounded at High Wood on the Somme on 3rd September 1916. He was repatriated, but he died on 1st October in a Military Hospital in Birmingham. He was buried in Frenchay churchyard.

The family had lived in Milton Lodge in Stapleton, and the 1901 census lists the father Arthur, sons Arthur jnr. & Norman, a governess and two servants. Arthur is a ‘cotton manufacturer’, and employs men. They were obviously middle class, so it’s surprising that Norman wasn’t an officer. They almost certainly attended Frenchay church, as another son, Leslie, was buried there when he died aged 7 in 1896.

By the time of the 1911 census they’re living in Weston-Super-Mare, and Norman is an insurance clerk. The Parish Magazine of November 1917 carried the news that “... a very handsome brass pulpit desk (was) given by Mr. and Mrs. Spafford in memory of Norman Spafford, of the 12th Glosters... He was buried near the East Gate of the Churchyard, in the same grave in which, 21 years ago, was laid his brother Leslie, aged 7, as a memorial of whom the beautiful font cover was given. At Evensong on Sunday, Oct. 21st, the pulpit desk was consecrated to the Glory of God and the further adornment of His House. That desk on the pulpit is inscribed in Norman’s memory, and is still used every week.Annual Talks Series - All Welcome, admission £2.Our season of local history talks gets underway on 13th October at 7.30pm in the Quaker Meeting House, Beckspool Road. The first talk is Frenchay Hospital’s Hidden History. Alan Freke shares some interesting facts that you (probably) didn’t know about Frenchay Park and the hospital’s early history.Hidden Gems Due to a delayed visiting exhibition, we are displaying some pictures from storage. They include the oil portraits of Revd. Randall Vickers and his wife Emma of Cedar Hall (featured in an item in the Community News back in May.) There are paintings by Tom Burrough of the Old House (who many of you will remember), and there’s a sketch of Frenchay Park House by the former England cricketer-turned-artist Jack Russell.The Museum is open Sat. & Sun. 2-5pm, and Wed. 1-4pm. Entry is free.

August 2016

Frenchay’s WWI Casualties

Apart from Sargeant Charles Godwin of Lake House, who died in action in the first month of the war, Frenchay had been fortunate. But with start of the Battle of the Somme on the 1st July 1916 that changed. The following month Frenchay had news of its first loss in that battle.

The Parish Magazine reported:And now comes the great sorrow of this month's record, the death of Lieutenant Kilby. Poor Jack! true sportsman, the genial, courteous captain of our cricket team, with courage to uphold the tone of the Club even at the risk of proficiency: a fact not forgotten when he applied for a commission. His young widow, with whom all must sympathise most deeply, writes:--"Mr. Hedges, a brother officer of the 7th Trench Mortar Battery, wrote to me that they were getting their guns into position when a German shell burst on them wounding Jack and burying himself. However, he thought Jack would, at the time he wrote, be well on his way to England and that there was no need whatever for worry. He wished he had had a 'blighty' one too! Later, however, when he reached the ambulance station he found Jack had passed away."

He died on August 21st 1916, the day he was wounded, and was buried in Forceville Communal Cemetery. Jack was born in Bristol in 1889, but the family was living in Downend by 1901. Jack became a teacher at St. Gabriel’s School, Easton, and a memorial service in his memory was held there in September 1916. He married Minnie Luton of Hambrook on Boxing Day 1911 in All Saints Church, WInterbourne Down. There were no children, and Minnie didn’t remarry. She died in Hambrook in 1935.

But the day following Jack Kilby’s death, newspapers across the world carried front page articles about Captain Hugh Kinred, of the 14th Glo'sters ("Bristol Bantams"), who enlisted in 1915 when he was Frenchay’s curate. He had saved the lives of seven of his companions when he threw himself on a bomb that landed in their trench. His steel waistcoat saved him, and he was awarded the Military Cross for his bravery. His is an intriguing story, twice divorced, for two years prohibited from preaching by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The saga is on our Museum website at, www.frenchaymuseumarchives.co.uk/Archives/PagesBiogy/Kinred-Hugh.htm

July 2016

Whiteshill Evangelical Church Bi-centenary

We are currently hosting an excellent exhibition about Whiteshill Evangelical Church, which opened 200 years ago this August.The display captures the fascinating story of the church’s history, which has featured moments of triumph, and tragedy.

One notable incident concerned Harry Alan Brown, who was minister there from 1890. When the maid arrived one the morning In July 1906 to get breakfast for the family, she found him, his wife, and her sister all dead, a cut-throat razor lying nearby!

It was such a shocking event that it seems to have been whitewashed out of local memory. When C.H.B. Elliott wrote his book “Winterbourne, Gloucestershire”, published in 1936, writing of the church he says, “Mr. H. Alban Brown came in 1890, and on his death in 1906 it was decided, as a memorial of his ministry, to secure the house called "Holme Lea" as the Manse.” No mention of the manner of his death, or that of his wife and her sister.

We have published a book about the Brown family, “A Winterbourne Tale”. Copies are available in the museum for £2. The exhibition runs until mid-August.

The museum is open Sat., & Sun. 2-5pm, & Wed. 1-4pm. Free Entry

June 2016

Ernest Ralph Clark 1908-1995

We are sometimes contacted by people who have discovered us, mostly on the internet, and who are able to add to our knowledge of Frenchay.

One such recent contact was from the son of Ernest Clark, who had just discovered the hospital had closed, and he wondered if the building “Clark Hall”, named after his father, had been demolished. It had, but we have photographs of it. He then told us about his father who had a pivotal role in establishing the hospital as we knew it.

Born in Bristol in 1908, he worked for Bristol Council in the Treasurer’s Department, before moving into the Public Health Department in 1937. During the war he was Establishment Officer with Bristol Casualty Services and the Civil Defence.

In August 1945 the Americans left Frenchay, and the hospital was handed back to Bristol Corporation. They appointed Ernest as “Steward of Frenchay Hospital” and he had the task of sorting out the hospital, and bringing together teams who had worked on other sites to form the post-war hospital. For example, during the war the Burden Neurological Institute in Stoke Lane had been requisitioned by the government, and used for brain surgery. When the facility was handed back to the Burden Trust, this brain surgery team was transferred to the embryonic Frenchay Hospital, and grew into a nationally acclaimed facility.

When the National Health Service was created in 1948 he was appointed Group Secretary of Cossham and Frenchay Group Management Committee, a post he was to hold until his retirement in 1968. He then took his expertise to Lebanon as a representative of the Ministry of Overseas Development, where for two years he worked helping to set up a hospital in Beirut. He then retired to Warwickshire, where he died in 1995.

May 2016

Revd. William Randall Vickers

In 1904, at the age of 66, the Revd. W. R. Vickers retired from Naburn, York, the parish he had served for most of his career, to live in Frenchay. He and his wife Emma (who was from Edinburgh) bought Cedar Hall, but why they came to live in Frenchay is a mystery.

He came from a family who owned an engineering company in Leeds (it’s still going), though his father was a surgeon in London. There appear to be no links to the West Country, let alone Frenchay, so why retire here? Their son, Kenneth Hortham Vickers, graduated from Oxford University in 1905 and became a history lecturer at the University College, Bristol.

Revd. Vickers became very involved with the parish church, and by 1909 is listed in the parish magazine as one of the clergy serving the parish. He took many services and both he and Emma were very active in parish affairs. In 1908 his son Kenneth moved to London University, but in 1911 returned to marry Alice Crossman, daughter of Dr. Edward Crossman, the founder of Hambrook Hospital.

In 1917, Emma gave the crucifix on the north side of the church, as a memorial to all those in the parish who lost their lives during the war. The Revd. Vickers died on the 28th of May 1918, his 80th birthday. His grave is easy to find as it has a stone cross laid along it, and it is adjacent to the crucifix on the north side of the church.

Recently his granddaughter offered wonderful oil paintings of William and Emma to the museum, which are a valuable addition to our collection. We have also been given a copy of a book about the family firm in Leeds, which is valuable background material.

ExhibitionsThe visiting exhibition about the bells of Frenchay Church continues, but on 18th May, a new exhibition by Whiteshill Evanglical Church goes on display. The church was opened 200 years ago and they are staging a number of events to mark their bi-centenary.

AGMThe AGM will be held at 7:30pm on Thur 12th May in the Quaker Meeting House. The formal AGM will be followed by videos, one of which is about BBC's Children in Need from 25 years ago, which features the Radio Lollipop project in Frenchay Hospital. The Radio Lollipop stained glass window is now on display in the museum. All are welcome at the AGM.

The museum is open Sat and Sun, 2 - 5pm and Wed, 1- 4pm. Free entry.

April 2016

Working with Other Museums

A recent screening of Michael Portillo’s “Great Railway Journeys” on BBC2, featured the Baltimore and Ohio Railway Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. The B&O was America’s first railway. Construction started in 1828, and the first section was opened in May 1830. But in January of that year Frederick Tuckett from Frenchay visited Baltimore, and had a trip along the part finished line. We have his journal from 1829-30, when he travelled widely in the USA.

We contacted the B&O Museum and emailed them a copy of the journal. They were delighted to receive it, as it a gave a first hand account of the railway. They commented on the fact that he stayed with Evan Thomas, who’s known as the “Father of American Railways”, as he was the President and driving force behind the B&O.

Tuckett wrote, “My friend Evan Thomas then took me out to the Rail ... we found a numerous company there. A party of the members of the State Legislature, accompanied by some of the directors, came out for the purpose of taking a ride and we joined them, making a party of 20.”

He also describes the construction methods, and the locomotives. After his return to England he became a railway engineer, working for Brunel on the GWR, before going to New Zealand as the Principal Surveyor of the New Zealand Company.

You can download the whole American journal from our website at frenchaymuseumarchives.co.uk/FrederickTuckettLetters.htm

If you’re visiting Pontresina in Switzerland this year, be sure to visit the museum there, as they have a new display about Lizzie Tuckett. Their curator came to see us last summer to collect information and we supplied many images used in the exhibition.

The visiting exhibition by the bellringers of Frenchay Church continues. The bells were installed 25 years ago as a DIY project by villagers and friends, and the display shows how it was done.The museum is open Sat., & Sun. 2-5pm and Wed. 1-4pm. Free Entry.

March 2016

Working with Schools

We were delighted to receive an invitation from Griffin Class at Frenchay School, to visit them and see the museum they had made in their classroom. We were impressed with their collection and their knowledge of local buildings. They were in the throes of making models of a number of buildings and we left them with an old wooden model of the church to inspire them. They are planning to produce a book about the history of the village, which we look forward to seeing. A few weeks later we led them on a guided tour of the village, which they all seemed to enjoy.

We were also approached by teachers from St. Michael’s Winterbourne, who were planning a school project on chocolate. Two of them visited the museum and seemed very impressed with what we had to show them. We have made available computer resources for them to plan their project, as well as copies of catalogues and Fry children’s games.

This was not a new request for us, as Bristol City Council’s Education Dept. approached us in January with a similar request. They are producing a module for Bristol schools to use on chocolate and the city, so we have been working with a member of their staff on providing suitable materials for Bristol schools.

The visiting exhibition by the bellringers of Frenchay Church continues. The bells were installed 25 years ago as a DIY project by villagers and friends, and the display shows how it was done.

To find out more about the museum, or to search our archives, go to our website www.frenchaymuseumarchives.co.uk.The museum is open Sat., & Sun. 2-5pm, & Wed. 1-4pm. Free Entry.

February 2016

In the Spring of 2015 NBT gave permission for us to save the Radio Lollipop stained glass window from Ward 25, and villager Roy Oaten, of JB Glass in Filton Avenue, removed the from the building, then repaired and stored it until a way could be found to display it.

Thanks to the efforts of Richard Thomas of PTIT Solutions in Frome Valley Road, Jeff Feltham of Exhibition and Displays Direct Ltd. of Staple Hill offered to make a suitable illuminated display panel. Volunteers have now installed it in the museum.

A big “Thank You” to all those who so generously supported this project.

We know very little about Radio Lollipop - perhaps you were involved? Have you any stories about Radio Lollipop that you can share with us. We can be contacted at frenchaymuseum@hotmail.com, or ‘phone 0117 9570942.

Drop in and be amazed by the 5' by 4' colourful window, which features (amongst others) Pudsey Bear, a hot air balloon, and Concorde!

Our visiting exhibition is by the bellringers of Frenchay Church. The bells were installed 25 years ago as a DIY project by villagers and friends, and the display shows how it was done.

To find out more about the museum, or to search our archives, go to our website frenchaymuseumarchives.co.uk.

December 2015

At the time of writing, we’re still waiting for South Glos. to formally offer to sell the museum to the trustees. This has been a long and frustrating process, but there is every indication that the process should be complete before the year’s end.

During December the museum is closed for a deep clean and refreshing some of the displays. We also hope to create a display of the Radio Lollipop window. If you would like to get involved, we are not known for turning help away, so call us on 9569324 or 9570942, to find out more.

We have a wealth of books, and reproductions of watercolours of Alpine views by Marion Fox, which would make ideal Christmas presents, so if you want to have a browse, or want to see something in the museum for any other reason, please call 9570942. The museum reopens on January 6th.

To find out more about the museum and to search our archives go to our website www.frenchaymuseumarchives.co.uk

August 2015

Paintings by Local Artists

The visiting exhibition by the Greater Fishponds Neighbourhood Partnership ends at the beginning of August and a display by Daniel Kembrey of a collection of paintings by local artists will follow.The scenic beauty of the Frome valley has attracted artists for many years, and the Harris brothers were especially prolific in the late 19thand early 20thCentury. Some of their paintings will feature in the display, as well as one by their sister.

To find out more about the museum and to search our archives go to our ﻿website﻿: www.frenchaymuseumarchives.co.uk.Open Sat., & Sun. 2-5pm, & Wed. 1-4pm. Free Entry.

June 2015

The Amazing Life of the Revd. Hugh Kinred

Recently a reporter from the Daily Mirror contacted us interested in a curate from Frenchay who became a war hero in 1916. They wanted to run a story about him, as artefacts relating to his heroic action in WWI were coming up for auction in London.

We said we’d do a little digging, and let them know.Newspapers around the world reported his amazingbravery during the battle of Neuve Chapelle, but what else was there to say about Revd. Kinred?Surely a quick look at Crockford’s Clerical Directory would give all the answers? Wrong!

He became curate in Frenchay’s in 1914, but what had he been doing before that? His account of his Far Eastern missionary activities, malaria, and time in Siberia, were contradicted by reports in the Singapore press saying he was a plantation manager!

We do know from his army record that in 1915 he resigned as Frenchay’s curate, and signed on in the 12th Gloucesters. He was a lieutenant when he saved the seven men at Neuve Chapelle. His army record also states that before the war he had been a corporal in British Malay States Rifles.

The story we unearthed was far from a typical one for a clergyman of the time, including being banned at one time from preaching by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and being involved in two messy divorces!

To find out more go to the Frenchay Museum websiteand follow the links. Or if you visit the museum, there is a little booklet in the research area that has the full story.

When did you last the museum? There’s always a lot to see and the publications provide a fascinating insight into the history of Frenchay.Did you know that there is a room set aside for special exhibitions? If you have a hobby or special interest you could use the room to stage a display. There is no charge for this and it is an opportunity to reach a wider audience. Around 1,500 people from all over the world visit the museum each year.If you are interested in using the exhibition room please contact the museum on 0117 9570942 or visit our website.

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